UNSC members criticise Russia for halting grain deal, say move could affect food prices

NEW YORK: Russia's decision to halt the grain export deal with Ukraine was the main topic of discussion at the UN Security Council on Monday. The move was criticised by many council members, who claimed it may threaten world food security. Russia issued a warning that safe navigation at the Black Sea can no longer be guaranteed, NHK reported.

The ministerial meeting on Ukraine started soon after Russia made its decision to halt the agreement. The deal gave Kyiv permission to transport grain over the Black Sea.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said, “Russia’s actions are taking food out of the mouths of the poorest people across Africa, the Middle East and Latin America,” as per NHK.

NHK provides the latest information on Japan and Asia through television, radio and online to a global audience. State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Takei Shunsuke, criticised Russia.

He said that Moscow is “taking the rest of the world hostage.” Ghana’s UN Ambassador Harold Agyeman highlighted the need of managing “the adverse impact of the war in Ukraine on third states.” Ghana is among the countries that are facing the risk of a food shortage.

Accusing Russia of “blackmailing the world,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged all UN member states to sternly demand that Russia return to the Black Sea grain initiative. Dmitry Polyanskiy, First Deputy Permanent UN representative for Russia said that Moscow would only consider resuming the deal when obstacles that hinder exports of its farm produce and other products are removed, as per NHK. He claimed that Ukraine was using the grain initiative as a cover to “wage provocations and attacks.” He added that the termination of the deal means “an end to guarantees of safe navigation” in the Black Sea.

In Egypt, the country that imports the most wheat worldwide worries about food security are growing. The majority of the nation's grain imports come from Russia and Ukraine.

In some supermarkets, the cost of bread has increased more than fivefold since the beginning of the Russian invasion. People in the capital city of Cairo are worried about further price increases.

In Egypt, bread, according to a man, is as necessary as water. He claimed that a distant war was putting pressure on his life. A woman claimed that because prices are going up everywhere, she is struggling to make ends meet.

She claimed that she hopes the war ends shortly so that things may get back to normal, NHK reported.